Namaste Is a Greeting

by Suma Subramaniam, Sandhya Prabhat (Illustrator)

Discover namaste’s many meanings in a simple, lyrical text, paired with a charmingly detailed visual narrative about a little girl’s kindness.

Namaste calms your heart when things aren’t going right.
Namaste is saying “You matter.”

What is namaste? It’s found in a smile, a friendship, a celebration. It exists in silence; it can be said when you’re happy or when you’re feeling low. For one small girl in a bustling city, namaste (“I bow to you”) is all around her as she and her mother navigate a busy marketplace—and when she returns with a little plant and chooses to give it to an elderly neighbor, it can be seen in the caring bond between them. In a sweet, universal text, debut author Suma Subramaniam shines a light on a word with significance far beyond yoga class, while artist Sandhya Prabhat makes the concept of mindfulness come alive in delightful illustrations likely to draw children in again and again.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Cultural, India, Storytime, Emotion, Asian Literature

32 pages, Hardcover

Published October 11, 2022

About the author

Suma Subramaniam earned her MFA in writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts and a certificate in popular fiction from the University of Washington. Suma Subramaniam lives in Washington State.

Reviews

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

All the different things that are captured in the greeting, "Namaste" including my favorite: "The divine in me is honoring the divine in you."
Namaste to all, from my heart to yours!

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

After over a decade of practicing yoga, I only recently learned that the word often used to close a [White lady] yoga class “namaste” actually means “hello.” This colorful picture book explains a little bit more about the different connotations of the word. I felt like I learned something, but did I learn if it’s wrong to say it at the end of yoga class (“hello” to the new you?)? Hmm… maybe? probably?

[Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Namaste is the divine
in me honoring
the divine in you."

Namaste Is a Greeting is a whole picture book that explains in beautifully poetic language and in brilliantly vivid illustrations the idea of namaste.

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet, though not exactly as explanatory as I'd expected going in. Because it isn't so concrete, I may not use this as a read aloud without some back-filling.

[Lillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

simple

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

A little girl lives in a bustling city, in an apartment from which she can see an older neighbor from her balcony. They often greet each other across the space, and the girl starts to think about what the word "namaste" means to her. When she goes to the market with her mother, she sees it used a lot, and notices that it can be a greeting, but also a way to reflect, show gratitude, or extend kindness to others. She buys a plant to take home, and is sad when the pot it is in breaks. Her mother helps her repot it, and she delivers it to her neighbor so the two can share a connection. All the while, the girl reflects on the different times that "namaste" is used, and the variety of meanings it exhibits in her life.

The artwork is vividly colored and shows lots of details. The expressions on the girl's face are great. While there are some pages where there are backgrounds full of many people and objects, sometimes we see a lot of white space showcasing the girl dancing or taking care of her plant. The text is nice and big, and since there isn't a lot of it, this would be a great read aloud.

This is a great look at a pivotal cultural word, and while there are plenty of examples of how it functions, I would have liked to see a very short forward on what cultures use the word, and in what way. For young readers who already have "namaste" as part of their vocabular, this won't be necessary, but readers who don't know this might learn even more from the book!

It's good to see a growing number of picture books extolling kindness and making cultural connections. Zhang's Amy Wu and the Warm Welcome shows a girl befriending a classmate that doesn't speak English well, and Michael's Snoopy's Book of Joy offers the same sort of exploration of gratitude, albeit from a slightly sillier perspective.

[Kailey (Luminous Libro) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little girl discovers that the word "Namaste" can encompass many things. It can be a greeting between friends, practicing a yoga pose, finding silence in the chaos, and a way to show your respect and love to the world. The little girl finds that namaste helps her to put things in perspective when something goes wrong. Namaste can be the catalyst for helping others and finding peace within yourself.

This is a cute book! I like the positive messages of hope and peace.

I like the colorful illustrations. There are so many things going on in the background of each scene and lots of interesting people. It makes each page like a treasure hunt for the special details in the back.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.

[Debbie Zapata · Rating 5 out of 5]

Long ago, I heard the word 'namaste' for the first time when I attended a yoga class. I was told by the teacher that it meant,"The light in me sees the light in you." I love that writer Suma Subramaniam (Candlewick Press, 2022) created a beautiful, lyrical picture book about the many meanings of namaste.

My favorite picture books are those about kindness. I believe if each person did a small act, the world would be better. I love following the little girl's journey through each colorful illustration that is filled with the concept of mindfulness. Artist Sandhya Prabhat demonstrates visually the richness of a beautiful word that can be a way of living, a greeting, and a blessing, all at once. This is a sweet and special book.

[Sharon Skinner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely message. Lovely prose. Lovely illustrations. Lovely book. Lovely greeting.

[StoryTimeReadAloud · Rating 4 out of 5]

It should come as no surprise that I love words. This picture book is a great exploration of the many meanings of one word: namaste.
A little girl lives in a city and sees many people around her. The story begins with her giving a greeting to a neighbor. As she goes about her day and her community, she shares namaste in more ways (smile, friendship, celebration, etc.). There is a lot of love and respect shown in the ways namaste is uesd in her multi-cultural surroundings. After returning home, the little girl sees her neighbor alone and brings a gift. I love the last lines, "Namaste is the divine in me honoring the divine in you." What a beautiful way to look at the world.

I liked the text. It is simple, maybe a sentence or two on each page. I like the movement shown in the pictures and the bright colors used.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Namaste Is a Greeting is a beautifully illustrated story about a young girl who learns all the many meanings of Namaste. As the young girl is seeing namaste in the city around her, when she returns home, she decides to give her new plant to her elderly lady. this shows the special and pure bond between these two characters. This book is beautifully poetically written, and has beautiful illustrations. I believe this book should have won the Caldecott award because of how beautiful the story and illustrations are. This story shows the beauty and the meaning behind the word Namaste through beautiful illustrations. Namaste is a greeting, a friendship, a smile, a small act of kindness, love.

[Teaching Little Fishies · Rating 4 out of 5]

👋🏼“Namaste is saying, “You matter.”

💛We follow along in the day of a small child as we uncover what ‘namaste’ means. This is a cute story that has a beautiful message revealed at the end.

👋🏼A wonderful book that demonstrates how the illustrations tell another story. It helps that the illustrations are wonderful as well!

💛“Namaste is the divine in me honouring the divine in you.”

🧠Teaching Point:
AUTHOR’S MESSAGE - You could use this book during your conferences with students as it is a short read and it provides the opportunity to discuss what the author’s message could be.

[Meera Sriram · Rating 5 out of 5]

When a single word takes you on a journey and tells a story, it feels like a revelation of sorts. In this book, we discover, connect, and celebrate the greeting, NAMASTE. Author Suma Subramaiam's sparse yet lyrical narrative soothes while Sandhya Prabhat's stunning visuals draw us into a little girl's day -- her curious mind and kind heart! Read this book about how a word could be so much more, read it to greet, rejoice, heal.

[Roben · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you ever taken a yoga class and wondered, "What does Namaste really mean?"? Then this book is for you! It helps explain all the many wonderful meanings of the phrase and the kindness and compassion it can encourage. It is the divine in me honoring the divine in you. What a wonderful concept to put into practice!
The book does mention yoga - but mainly it is the story of a young girl observing a sad neighbor and then reaching out in kindness to make a connection.

[Gretchen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book to introduce a concept more than a word. The idea that a moment of silence, reflection, honor, can be a comfort and direction in so many ways. "Namaste is the divine in me honoring the divine in you" is that last definition of Namaste in the book. This is certainly a time when the thought of honoring the divine in others, even if it isn't the same as the divine in ourselves. Our world desperately needs more who believe. Namaste.

[Emilee · Rating 5 out of 5]

The phrase Namaste is often used at the end of a yoga class. It means "the divine in me honors the divine in you." This charming story does an amazing job of highlighting everything it means to live your life in namaste. The illustrations are charming and I love how the little girl and the grandma ties the story all together. It reminds us through good and bad things that happen in our life we can find the beauty in all things.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

The blurb says what is true about this lovely, joyful book. I can only add that some of the scenes have too much going on for me, but most kids probably will have fun with them (appeals perhaps to the same part of the mind that Where's Waldo does, but not so random). Otherwise I loved it.

"Namaste is loving the world... Namaste is saying 'You matter.'" The pictures show the girl doing things that demonstrate her love for the world, etc.

[Ellon · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars (I liked it)

This book covers all the things that namaste could mean. The actual text wasn't something I really loved but I thought the illustrations were so inviting and beautiful.

The text did end up covering a lot of situations. It had "hello" in many languages. It covered how you might be feeling great or sad. But again, the text kind of pales in comparison to the gorgeous illustrations.

[Dana T]

‘Namaste Is a Greeting’ is a cute picture book with positive messages of hope and peace. A wonderful look at the meaning and spirit of namaste. The story follows a little girl as she makes her way through the day. Suma Subramaniam’s lovely text incorporates messages of kindness, sharing, joy, and friendship. A celebration of community and kindness about the connection between a small girl and her elderly neighbor. "The divine in me is honoring the divine in you,” is a beautiful ending.

[Rosalie]

I liked this. The illustrations were super well thought out and gorgeous. The text does cover the possible meanings of namaste although it kind of is still a little too less explanatory for my liking. I think kids and others still need background to fully understand and comprehend the text, so that it forms a meaningful lesson. But this a very good introduction and still very thought provoking with the different emotions shown and inclusivity when it comes to the hello page.

[Tina Hoggatt · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author's quest to clarify for non-Indian users of the greeting Namaste is successful. All the permutations of its use are delightfully explored in simple, empathetic text, and beautifully depicted by illustrator Sandhya Prabhat in bright, lively illustrations. One to read again and again, discovering new details in the story - of a child and her grandmother - and visuals.

[Harshita Jerath · Rating 5 out of 5]

Namaste Is a Greeting is a gentle story about a little's girl's journey as she explores the many meanings of namaste. The author's sparse text, alongside the vivid art by the illustrator, would keep the readers positively engaged. I also enjoyed the secondary story depicted in the art about how this little girl brings light into the life of an old woman as she offers namaste to heal and comfort.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

What is Namaste?

A little girl living in the city, soon will learn the many meanings of the word, Namaste.

In this cute lyrically written book by debut author, Suma Subramaniam, gives a unique view, full of heart (trust me, the ending will get you right in the feels, in a good way), with simplistic, but colorful and detailed illustrations by Sandhya Prabhat

[Donna Cangelosi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is absolutely precious! With stunning illustrations, the story follows a little girl as she makes her way through the day. Suma Subramaniam’s lovely text incorporates messages of kindness, sharing, joy, and friendship. Sandhya Prabhat‘s illustrations are perfection! I highly recommend this book!

[Rinku · Rating 4 out of 5]

The message is simple but beautiful. I liked the buildup of the community with each turn of the page. I loved the beautiful explanations of namaste. I appreciate the representation of South Asian culture for families to enjoy. I am from West Bengal and am always on the lookout for South Asian books.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully illustrated book explaining "Namaste" and what it means. The simple to follow text explains all the ways the word is used. I particularly love the page spread where we learn it means hello and the author included so many other languages as well. An easy to read introduction to this worldwide sentiment.

[Carrie Tillotson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This beautiful book about the concept of what is namaste, offers a moment of peace and calmness, of sharing and caring to all readers. I really enjoyed the secondary story that took place in the art, too!

[MaryJo · Rating 2 out of 5]

The text is good enough but I do not care for the illustrations at all. I am not a fan of the trend in children's picture books of distorting the human features into bizarre shapes. To me they are simply ugly, which certainly detracts from my enjoyment of a book.

[Robyn McGrath · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweet story that follows a young girl as she navigates the many meanings of namaste. And the secondary story in the illustrations will pull at your heart strings. Suma's text paired with Sandhya's illustrations make this a book to be read again and again.

[Angela Dale · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful look at the meaning and spirit of namaste. A celebration of community and kindness tucked into an artfully told story about the connection between a small girl and her elderly neighbor.

Namaste is a Greeting is a gift - and makes a great gift.